1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for improving the displaying of relevant information in a system having a function of acquiring and displaying condition or status information which changes from time to time such as the operating condition of a computer system or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development and popularization of networks and systems utilizing the networks, it is now possible for users to obtain necessary information by transmitting and receiving various pieces of information.
For example, in a whereabouts or location management system, information indicating user conditions which change from time to time is transmitted and received through a network.
In such a system, each user using a terminal connected to the network transmits to a relaying apparatus, such as a server, or directly to a terminal of another user, information indicating the user's conditions such as the user's destination, the user's current location, busy condition and feeling. A display system of the terminal may include a graphical user interface (GUI). Moreover, the user is capable of referencing the user condition information collected in the server (relaying apparatus) from each user through the network or the user condition information transmitted directly to the user terminal. For example, when the user is far away at a distant place or nearby, if transmission and reception of information are possible through the network, respective conditions of the user can be verified as if the user was nearby.
However, in the related art, only contents have been displayed when referencing information which changes from time to time such as displaying user condition information. Therefore, it has been difficult to determine when the user condition information has been updated or when this information has been acquired. Further, it has been difficult to determine the reliability of the information to which reference has been made.
It is very preferable particularly when communicating with users to recognize the user status. For example, to determine, depending on the condition of the user, whether a message should be transmitted to the user immediately by telephone or by electronic mail (E-mail) to be read later by the user. Therefore, whereabouts or location management systems have been proposed that transmit and receive through the network user conditions which change from time to time.
Moreover, not only the user or personal status but also a computer condition can also be considered as an object which changes from time to time.
Even in a system for monitoring the operating condition of a computer system, it is also possible in the same manner to collect conditions of network devices, lines and connected devices to monitor the conditions of devices existing not only in a visible or local area but also in a distant place.
In systems for referencing or accessing the user conditions which change from time to time, such as the whereabouts management system or the like explained above, when the information regarding user conditions is updated depending on change of user conditions, other users can always recognize the latest user conditions when referencing or accessing the user conditions. However, if, in spite of the change of user conditions, information indicating the user conditions are not updated, because the user has forgotten to make an update or system trouble has occurred, other users reference the conditions which are different from the current user conditions, resulting in erroneous recognition, further erroneous action or determination.
In such a system, since the user only obtains and displays the condition information recorded in the server or the like, only the contents of registered information can be recognized. Therefore, the user cannot determine the accuracy of the displayed information. As the solution, the registration time (update time) of information is stored when the condition information is registered and the registration time (update time) is displayed together when the condition information is displayed. However, the user can only recognize how long a time has passed from registration of information by recognizing the displayed update time and current time and then calculating difference between such times. Therefore, it is difficult for the user to determine the accuracy of information intuitively by observing the display of the registration (update time) and condition information.
On the other hand, in the whereabouts management system or the like explained above, to improve reliability of the information itself, a system has been realized which can automatically update the information regarding user conditions, in cooperation with a system for automatically detecting the attending place or location of users, depending on working conditions of users, even if the user does not directly update the information regarding the user's conditions.
However, at present, with development of network technology and substantial functions of portable terminals, such as hand-held terminals or the like, the user is now capable of enjoying various services not only by using various kinds of computer systems (or services) by connecting to a predetermined network in predetermined places but also by using a communication unit (communication mode) in the current place without selection of time and place.
Namely, it is now possible to use a computer with a desired communication unit at any time and in any place.
When the computer is used in such environments, a problem is then generated, because in the whereabouts management systems explained above, the user is not always connected to the whereabouts management system and therefore the user cannot always detect the latest condition of users collected in the whereabouts management system. Moreover, because such information changes from time to time as time passes the collected information will have lower accuracy or become erroneous.
For example, it is assumed that a certain user X obtains the conditions of user A and user B utilizing a hand-held terminal and stores the information of users A and B obtained in the hand-held terminal and thereafter leaves the office or house carrying the hand-held terminal.
Here, it is assumed, for example, that when the user X has obtained the condition information, the user A was attendant at his own seat in the office and the user B was taking part in a conference or meeting, and about an hour later, the user A went to business trip and the condition information of the user A was accordingly updated, meanwhile the user B was still attendant at the conference.
Here, it is also assumed, for example, that the user X recognizes or obtains the conditions of the users A and B using the hand-held terminal outside of the office. If connection to the whereabouts management system is possible from outside of the office, it is possible to obtain and display the changed latest conditions and it is also possible that conditions of the user A have changed to “business trip”. However, if connection is impossible, the user X can reference only the information of the users A and B obtained an hour before (regarding the user A, before going to business trip). Therefore, the user X recognizes that the conditions of user A is still “attendance”, even if the condition of user A has changed to “business trip”.
This situation occurs even if it is possible to obtain and hold the information required by users, because as time passes changes in reliability of obtained information cannot be recognized or determined.
As user conditions always change, reliability of user condition information gradually deteriorate until the next user condition information update.
The users cannot understand the reliability of the condition information only by observing or recognizing the content of the condition information.
It is therefore an object of the present invention that upon referencing or accessing information which changes from time to time and collected in a system, a display mode is changed when displaying the collected information depending on the reliability of the information such that a user can recognize or observe at a glance contents of the collected information and the reliability of the contents.